Meep... you guys are long overdue for some news, and since it's been a while there do be tons - so, I've split this into 2 updates, cos I've been up to a lotta stuffs... so here's part 1, part 2 will be flinging your way in a couple of weeks once some of these stuffs are no longer kept secrets!

Hokey dokey, first up, I have been webbing, and have FINALLY added prints of basically every new image not already available and not client copyrighted, that I think people might like to have on their walls. There's like, over 100 or something (gosh left that a little bit long in updating too, non?!) Anyhoo, if you have been wanting a Wonder Woman or a big pair of lipsmacking lips in your living room - get em get em by clicking right here and also over here.

A wee selection from an awful lot of 'sluts'...

Second, another thing I have been needing to do FOR SEVERAL YEARS is to create a little place on the internet for my "Sluts" (here comes that **KINK ALERT** I mentioned....) So, EXCLUSIVELY and for the VERY 1st TIME ONLINE, I have now created two as yet rather secret links to every single one of nearly 400 nude drawings I created back in 2008, inspired by vintage pornos, Penthouse and Playboy, for an exhibition entitled "50 Bucks: Bring On The Sluts". For those of you that remember (or do not), it toured 3 continents and featured a showpiece vending machine in which you placed a $50 bill and got a nudey artwork in a Pepsi bottle (who kindly sponsored me via a $15,000 cola machine!) A third of the kinky works sold upon opening night in Melbourne, so I made playing cards, and as a result, I pretty much forgot what a lot of those artworks looked like - the bulk were created in a frenzied 6 month period involving allnighters, colouring in-induced repetitive strain injury and a 48 hour scanning session by Chad. So here and also here they are in all their rainbow haired glory, in alphabetical order and available as prints (only 40 of the originals remain unsold - but you can also buy the remaining originals here too if they are available.) If you'd like a comprehensive list of which originals I still have - drop me a line and I'll send links to those (and try to persuade Chad to part with them!)

Ashish SS16

Next up, some new more fashion illustrations inspired by the London Fashion Week SS16 shows. This is from Ashish Gupta's beautiful skater girls scattered with glitter confetti - and I used hand sewn vintage sequins to capture the look on canvas.

Gareth Pugh SS16

And also, from the amazing Soho-inspired Gareth Pugh SS16 show. Which comes with the news that iconic LBGT drag club Madame Jojos is to close. Like Ghetto, (home of my favourite nostalgic naughties Wednesday night electro party, 'Nag Nag Nag') and The Astoria (home of G-A-Y), it is yet another London icon falling victim to mass gentrification.

Conor McGregor

On a lighter note, I decided to take Chad's advice and let my illicit UFC obsession enter my art. Having witnessed the destruction of Ronda Rousey by Holly Holm live in Melbourne (GO girls!), I decided to draw my favourite fighting Irishman, Conor Mcgregor, fresh from obliterating reigning champ Jose Aldo to take the UFC World Featherweight Title. Expect more sporting heroes (and absolutely heroines!) in my art down the line.

Something else to expect more of might be an extended superheroine-inspired series. The astounding popularity of my Wonder Woman piece I created for Smithsonian made me think its an area I'd like to explore more, so with this in mind, I decided to take on my childhood idol Jem of Jem And The Holograms.(coinciding with the release of a new movie which I haven't yet seen but has been kinda panned by aficionados of the original Jem cartoon - NO Misfits, NO 80s setting and accusations of racism due to the decision to cast a racially ambiguous actress as Shana, a black character who was an inspiration to many young girls growing up in the 80s.)

Truly Outrageous Jem photoshoot!

I thought I'd show you a little bit of my working process here in the creation of Jem. Here's some shots from the Jem themed photoshoot we did to create reference (big shoutout to Hannah Bella Bowden, our 'truly outrageous' model, and Otto Rot of Die Roten Punkte, who kindly lent Jem his keytar and flying V.

Here's some of the resulting sketches.

Above, progress in the studio via Instagram

Jem before application of paint

I decided on the microphone pose (The Jem Bible states that Jem can play guitar, but since she is only ever shown in the cartoon as a lead singer, I decided to stick with mic-only.) Here's how the line looks on the collage background before the paint gets added.

Jem! Final art

And finally - the fully realised illustrated - Jem!

The holy pink one has also helped inspire the title to my very first EVER Brisbane exhibition, opening Friday February 26th at This Must Be The Place. The show is called "Glamour and Glitter, Fashion and Fame" (taken from the 80s Jem cartoon theme), and will feature a 'best of' curated from my fashion illustrations, celebrity portraits, glittering eyeballs and colourful dreams. Ya'll are invited if you are in the area - we'll be there from 6-9pm, and the show runs until March 25th.

Here are two new paintings I created especially for the show - portraits of fellow Gen Y women Lana Del Rey and Lena Dunham. I love that Lana explores the dark side of The American Dream in her lyrics, and takes me in turn to reminisce upon my own 20s, and my observations of America following 2 NYC residencies and various trips to The South. Lena I agree is the voice of her generation, a feminist icon who speaks up on the gender gap and is raw and honest about her life in a way I think only Generation Social Media can be.

Lana Del Rey

Lena Dunham

There have been numerous stonkingly exciting collaborations and commissions these last few months, several, including a lovely UK publishing job and a project involving numerous world famous rock stars, must remain secrets until zee next update (soon, promise!)However, here's some sneakpeaks I can show you. I am beyond delighted to announce a collaboration with Adventurepants creator Captain Robbo - check out her lush 100% cotton handmade in Melbourne leggings here.

Coney Island tracings for screenprint!

We combed my Coney Island sketchbook for ideas, and using acetate and markers, I extracted some yummies for Captain Robbo to create a repeat. Below is a wee sneakpeak of the printed leggings - which will soon be available from my website in both adults and kids sizes, and will also be available for fabric pen COLOURING IN! Cannot WAIT to wear mine!

Coney Island Leggings are coming soon!!!!

El segundo colaboracion involves the amazing Jonathan Kyle Farmer and Ammar Belal - both professors of fashion at New York's prestigious School of Visual Arts. A couple years back I drew Kyle's cute French Bulldogs, originally planned as a tattoo, and it's not the first or even second time they've been printed onto clothing - now, they've been luxuriously embellished by Ammar onto sweaters and I AM GETTING ONE! (Do you see a pattern to my clothing collabs?!)

Phew! That's a lot for one update right? I'll save the rest for part 2, and will just leave you with this podcast, in which I am interviewed by brilliant fellow illustrator Ben Tallon of Arrest All Mimics and we discuss all things art and illustration, how I developed my signature style, my obsession with my beloved Coney Island, and an animation concept involving The Pope Of Trash versus The Rainbow Warrior..... listen to the hilarity of it all right here.To be continued... abrazos, bisous, amore til then xxx

Overview

When Sarah Beetson was seven years old, she had three ambitions – to win Wimbledon, to be a rock star, and to illustrate a children’s book like Quentin Blake. She’s come pretty close to meeting that third ambition, and has major clients in fashion, editorial and publishing. She also shows in galleries around the world.

Sarah spends most of her year in Queensland, Australia, returning to the UK for a few months now and again, on top of her other globetrotting endeavours such as a three-month artist in residency at Coney Island, New York.

Training

Sarah received a first class BA in Illustration from Falmouth College of Arts.

Approach

Sarah begins by creating a background using spray paint, tissue paper and/or collage, which is applied to paper, wood, a photographic print or fabric. She then draws the linework using Pilot G Tec C pens. The image is rounded off with a full range of mixed media that can include acryl-gouache, markers, gel pens, crayon, stickers, vintage magazine clippings, beads, sequins, Letraset… and more.

Style

From out of the chaos emerges glorious illustration work that finely balances colour, line and texture for a unique effect. Pop culture and plenty of vintage influences shine through in Sarah’s work. Her rock t-shirt collection includes shirts for Purple Rain, The Wall, Live Aid '85, Rebel Yell and the Joshua Tree. She’s also inspired by space travel, Coney Island, Americana, film director John Waters and artists like Antoni Gaudi, Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele, Julie Verhoeven, David Downton, Antonio Lopez and Jamie Hewlett.